Operation Christmas Child

Every year our church takes part in a ministy called Operation Christmas Child (through an organization called Samaritan's Purse). To take part all you need to do is fill a shoebox with small toys, candy, school supplies, etc... and these shoeboxes get sent to children in need throughout Central Asia, Africa, and Eastern Europe. These are children that will not otherwise get Christmas gifts. And in addition these children recieve a story about Christ and learn about the true meaning of Christmas!

Well every year for the last couple of years I say to myself that we are going to do this and pack up a shoebox with goodies. And every year somehow I've missed the deadline (which is in a week at our church). But this year we were determined to follow through and this morning the three of us headed out to the stores to fill our shoeboxes! We filled one that will goy to a boy 10-14 years old and we filled another one that will go to a little girl 2-4 years old. Lily helped us pick things out and although she was a little confused at first it didn't take long before she was talking about how we were sending gifts to other little boys and girls. Of course I don't think she really understood, but we tried to explain to her as she picked things out that these little kids don't have all of the things that she has. We picked out soccer balls, baby dolls, crayons, school supplies, candy, stickers, a flashlight, tooth brushes, etc... and then we headed home, packed up our shoeboxes, and right away Joe and Lily biked them over to the church (so that we could be sure we wouldn't miss the deadline this time)!

I had hoped to include a letter and our famiy picture in each shoebox, but I just didn't quite get to it. So, I'll make that a goal for next year! I hope that we can make this a tradition every year- I think it's as good for us and our family as it is fro the children who get the shoeboxes! In the meantime, if you want to participate you can go to www.operationchristmaschild.org